thursday this week, it's going to matter and no one knows how. it's one of the reasons that i've been caught up in politics since i can remember because you really don't know how the battle's going to go. that's "hardball" for now. thanks for being with us. "politicsnation" start right now with al sharpton. thanks, chris, and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, governor romney is getting by on a zing and a prayer with just 36 days to go, things are getting desperate for team romney. the bad news keeps piling up. the latest swing state polls show him trailing the president by 11 points. 11. fox business is reporting that romney is losing donors to republican house and senate candidates. they are moving their money because they think he's going to lose. so much for the liberal media bias. that was a fox report. even conservatives are arguing

that this wednesday's debate is do or die. >> you just heard paul ryan say that romney will offer the country a clear choice of two different economic futures. is that what romney needs to do wednesday? is that enough? >> well, i think it would be good to just win the debate. that's my advice to governor romney and it's time to begin panicking a little bit. >> time to begin panicking? but don't worry, governor romney has a solution. zingers. the "new york times" reports that mr. romney's team has concluded that debates are about creating moments and has equipped him with a series of zingers that he has memorized and has been practicing since august. zingers? mr. romney doesn't need zingers. he needs new ideas. he needs a new campaign. truth be told, he needs a new candidate. after all, the guy he's been

debating all along has been himself on health care. >> i'm not getting rid of all of health care reform. of course, there are a number of things that i like in health care reform. >> well, of course. i'm going to repeal obama care. i've said that on the campaign trail. i think every single day obama care must be repealed in its entirety. >> he was for it before he was against it. and that auto bailout -- >> you said, quote, if general motors, ford, and chrysler gets the bailouts that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the automotive industry good-bye. >> that's exactly right. if you write a check, they are going to go out of business. >> my own view was that they needed to go through bankruptcy before government help and finally that's what the president did. so i'll take a lot of credit that this industry has come back. >> see, he told the president to let detroit go bankrupt so he should take the credit for

saving detroit. and he's just as hapless on taxes. >> raise taxes with obama care but he's got another taxes in mind. >> governor romney doesn't need zingers. he needs to get his story straight. he needs to stop debating himself. and at the end of the day, this election isn't about one liners. just ask our president. >> i know folks in the media are speculating already on who's going to have the best zingers. what i'm most concerned about is having a serious discussion about what we need to do to keep the country growing and restore security for hardworking americans. that's what people are going to be listening for. that's the debate that you deserve. >> that's the debate voters deserve. and on wednesday night, they won't be distracted by any

zingers cooked up by romney's team of joke writers. joining me now is michelle cottle, washington correspondent for "newsweek" and the daily beast. and dana milbank, columnist for "the washington post." thanks to you both for coming on tonight. dana, are zingers the answer for mitt romney? >> well, he has to beware the very perilous boomerang zinger. delivering in sort of the wrong way, then it looks canned, it looks contrived and that you're trying too hard. if he comes out and says, there you go again, you're going to hear a thumping sound and that's going to be me and everybody else pounding our heads on the table in the next room in the debate.

he's wooden and stiff as it is. if he's seen as throwing down a line, that's much worse than skipping the zingers at all. i would just try to have an actual debate. >> michelle, it's pretty bad when you use a zinger and it doesn't even work but, to be honest, mitt romney's been talking and dealing with zingers for a long time. let me show you something about mitt romney and zingers going back a little bit. >> coming up with the best answers for the best zingers. and number two is being able to communicate to the people of america that you're a leader. i think i have the best ideas for our nation. i think i have some pretty good zingers. >> so he's been talking about zingers since at least late last year, michelle. i mean, what is it with him and zingers? when are we going to hear specifics on his economic policies, on his health policies? every time specifics come up, they want to talk about something else and he's running around obsessed with zingers?

>> yeah. i don't -- from what i'm -- zingers were a little debbie snack cake for years. i don't know what he's talking about most of the time because he doesn't need a zinger. he needs a message and this is what he's going to have to figure out in his debate what his core message that he always brings every question back home to is going to be. this is what you do. this is how you make an impact. you know, the guy doesn't have a catskill comedian's timing. he's going to fall flat on his face. he needs to be worried about making an impact in terms of letting people know that he's competent and has a vision for where he wants to take the country. >> you're right, dana. because the one or two times that i've seen him attempt humor, he kind of fell on his face. but this debate, all zingers aside, is going to be very, very divisive, according to even his own supporters.

governor chris christie argued this weekend that the debate will completely change the state of the race. take a listen to governor christie. >> guess what, on wednesday night, mitt romney is going to be standing on the same stage as the president of the united states and i am telling you, david, come thursday morning, the entire race will change. >> is he overstating the case there or will the narrative change and if it will change, dana, which way will it change? it could change where there's no hope left at all for romney? >> i bet governor christie 10,000 bucks that that narrative is not going to be changed in such a manner. it is true that if romney is going to get back in this race, this is the time to do it. the first debate. the second and third debate, that's all nice. but this is the last chance that he has to win a first impression or second or third, which ever it is at this point. there is some promise for romney

in the post abc polls, expectations are high. many more people think that obama will win this debate. the expectations are low for him. he really does. he doesn't just need to hold his own, needs to get in there and give people a reason why he looks and acts like a president in a better way than obama would. >> but michelle, there's so much doubt going that paul ryan, according to the national review, he's even calling conservative pundits to reassure them. let me read you a national review report. it writes, paul ryan has a new mission. reassuring conservative pundits. republicans familiar with the calls say ryan's tone has been positive and upbeat but he has acknowledged that the campaign has made some missteps. this is not liberal bias. this is the national review reporting. the vice presidential candidate is trying to reassure

conservative pundits. >> well, conservative pundits, you know, mainstream republican, nobody has been a huge romney constituency here. you know, conservatives loved it when romney got put on the ticket. they thought this was a good sign that the romney campaign was finally going to be about something. they've been disappointed so far that ryan has been turned more into romney than the other way around. so he's the obvious person to be sent out there to talk to these guys. but i'm just not sure how soothing he can be in terms of the top of the ticket in this case. >> in terms of the soothing, dana, bob dole was very soothing to mr. romney or he wrote over this weekend an op ed piece that i'm sure was intended to be soothing. i certainly wouldn't have liked it if i was the nominee. but his intent, i'm sure, was to be soothing because he wrote no one aspires to be defeated -- a

defeated presidential candidate. but then he went on further and he argued that there is light at the end of the tunnel for dole that was an improbable career, pitching visa, duncan donuts and viagra. and he goes on to say, the greatest of life blessings cannot be counted in electoral votes. so he's telling mr. romney, i assume, don't worry about it. you can do what i did and i guess that's soothing. >> it's soothing in a many of speaking but there's a crucial different here and that is that bob dole in 1996 fought the good fight. but, look, the economy by then was booming. nobody really gave him a chance of winning. what is happening here is you have romney losing a race that everybody thought he was perfectly capable of winning. so if that is indeed what occurs, it's possible he doesn't even get the viagra ad in the end and may be cutting some ads

for bain capital. >> michelle cottle and dana milbank, thank you for your time this evening. >> thanks. >> thanks. coming up, paul ryan has come up with a brand-new reason to avoid giving details on the romney/ryan plan. >> you haven't given me the math. >> it would take me too long to go through the math. >> the math is hard defense. good luck with that. plus, todd akin goes from bad to worse. new comments from mr. legitimate rape have made him the poster child of the gop radical anti-women agenda. also, republicans care a lot about voter fraud unless they are the ones doing it. we're calling them out for gross hypocrisy. you're watching "politicsnation" on msnbc. oh no, not a migraine now.

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have you checked us out on facebook? the "politicsnation" conversation is going all day long. romney's zinger debate strategy was a hot topic today. judith says, we need math, not zingers. and folks couldn't get enough of these photos of a kid high-fiving the president at a campaign rally yesterday. ryan says, quote, best reaction ever. the kid's father aaron commented, too, saying, high fiving the man he used to call barack obama made my son's night. we want to hear what you think, too. head over to facebook and search "politicsnation" and "like" us to join the conversation that keeps going long after the show

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i think it goes without saying, there's a media bias. look, i'm a conservative person. we expected media bias going into this. >> as the romney/ryan ticket falls into the poll, some republicans are falling into their old playbook, blame the media. over on fox news, they know different, right? right? >> why are you and romney losing at this race? >> we're going to win this race. given that, we're going to win

this race. >> but you are not at this point. you're losing. >> here's what we're saying. >> fox news to paul ryan, quote, you're losing. ouch. when they turn to the ryan/romney economic plan which would somehow reduce the deficit or popular deductions. >> you're the master of the budget. so briefly let's go through the plan. the obama plan says independent groups say if you cut those tax rates for everybody 20%, it costs $5 trillion over ten years. true? >> not in the least bit true. look, this just goes to show, if you for tur statics enough, they will confess enough to what you want them to say. >> how much would it cost? >> it's revenue neutral. >> i'm not talking about the cut. we'll get to the deductions. but the cut in the tax rates. >> the cut in tax rates is lower all american tax rates by 20%. >> how much does that cost? >> it's revenue neutral. >> it's not revenue neutral

unless you take away the deductions. >> that's where i'm going. >> i'm going to get to that in a second. >> lowering the tax base works and you can. >> let me just -- you haven't given me the math. >> look, i don't have the -- it would take me too long to go overall of the math. >> it would take too long to do the math? this isn't a pop quiz. it's a presidential election. even the conservatives are fed up with the lack of details. here's what laura ingraham said when she called in today. >> what i don't understand about this, if you have a different vision for this administration, i think the people of the country definitely need to know what the specifics of that different vision is. >> look, we know why romney and ryan don't want to come clean on their tax plan, because it literally doesn't added a up. in fact, one economic study says their plan was, quote, not

mathematically possible. and romney himself hopes you don't think about all of those pesky little details missing from his plan. >> the devil's in the details. what are we talking about? the mortgage deduction, the charitable deductions? >> the angel is in the policy. >> we'll see if romney can avoid talking about all of those devils in wednesday night's debate in the economy. joining me now is msnbc contributor and author megan mccain and msnbc political analyst richard wolf. he's the author of revival, the struggle for survival inside the obama white house. thanks to both of you for being here tonight. >> thanks, reverend. >> richard, it's got to be bad if fox news isn't buying your line. >> you know, chris wallace was asking really reasonable questions. it's flot just about specifics. it's to try and explain the real

costs, the facts behind the tax policy. so even if you set aside the proposition about whether you are winning or losing, because all of these things can be temporary at the beginning of the campaign, but getting to the details in a factual way is important. if you cannot boil down your message as candidate, never mind about a bumper sticker but a sound bite, how you express it to voters that's exactly the problem that they are in. the details are difficult but difficult not to explain but difficult for middle class voters. >> i had the same difficulty in junior high school trying to make 5 plus 3 equal 9. the math isn't there. that's part of the problem. but megan, paul ryan talked to a wisconsin radio host and said why don't you get into the specifics on fox news sunday. let me play what he said. >> i didn't want to get into all of the math of this because everybody would start changing the channel.

when you're offering very specific, bold solutions, confusion can be your enemy's best weapon. >> now, he's running for vice president. he's on a morning talk show on a sunday and if you got into specifics, people would start changing the channel? >> the thing s. i continue to go on the show and say, i understand what they are trying to say. i do understand what paul ryan is trying to say. the problem is, people like me can't go on and explain what they are doing. as richard said, they are going to have to get down to brass tax and specific. it's exhausting for republicans right now. i am at my wit's ends with this. i am hoping on wednesday governor romney will do this during the debate but this is the exact reason why we're losing and whether republicans like it or not, we're going to have to get things down to 140 characters and sound bites to put all over the media. this is the era we are living in and for whatever republicans and specifically this campaign continue to ignore that and it's just the realty of the times that we are losing in.

>> so you are hoping that they can explain many of us are not there because they have not communicated. >> i think no matter how complex the issue is, which no one is saying this is an incredibly complex issue, they are going to have to narrow it down and make it digestible for average americans and they are not doing that right now. >> richard, not only are they not doing that but it is getting incoherent. governor bob mcdonald was on andrea mitchell on this station today and when she raised the question of romney's tax plan, let me show you the encounter here. >> uh-huh. >> where is the math? and is mitt romney going to be under some pressure in the state to produce specifics as to how it will add up? >> well, andrea, first, it's a laughable question. >> i mean, did i miss something? what's laughable about that? >> that's a very reasonable

question. i'm going to come up with an analogy which is for me the de ja vu of this election is 2004. okay? when john kerry couldn't describe his position was on the war of iraq, would he he have voted for it knowing what he knew at that time? how would he get out of it? it's one thing to deliver a critique of a sitting president with big challenges. even if you think that the sitting president is responsible for all of those challenges, as democrats thought about president bushes, they are now thinking about it with president obama. it's easy. when you say, i'm going to make it better, vote for me. people not unreasonably, not laugh blee say, how are you going to do that? what are you going to do? john kerry struggled with that question. mitt romney is struggling with that now. >> that seems to be the problem. what is the message besides we don't like president obama. >> my problem with the campaign is they really need to start

delineating between what the obama campaipresidency looks li romney's presidentially will look like. i agree with you, we're getting down to the 11th hour and there's one final debate and i really hope that romney takes this time to lay it out word for word in a simple and accessible way because this is just too complicated for people. >> when you think of the fact that the economy is not -- has not recovered at the rate we'd like, as quickly as we'd like, and that was going to be romney's issue and according to the polls, he and the president is tied here, what can he do, megan, as a republican? if he was watching, what could he do on wednesday night that could give him the edge back on the economy? that was going to be his issue. >> there's a lot of ammo out there right now. if i were governor romney i would start talking about libya, the terrorist attack that jay

carney will say but the president will not say has happened. the deficit is over 16%. that's the types of things i would start doing and on their brass tax facts that they can be using and we're making it vague and all of the things that we have in common as republicans with president obama but we do not. >> well, i mean -- look, debates are not just about landing punches. real people look at debates and say, what kind of a person are you? what kind of leader are you? what kind of person are you? if he doesn't communicate what kind of he person he is, no one is going to vote for him. >> meghan, she's like a straight shooter. >> i'm at my breaking point with this. and i like governor romney. >> we don't have to agree on everything but at least you're candid. meghan mccain and richard wolffe, thank you for your time tonight. as i've said before, this

election is not about obama. it's about your mama. new polls show that the public thinks the big issue at stake on this election day, including medicare, social security, and our safety net. but, first, the right double standard when it comes to republican voter fraud. stay with us. ♪ ♪ lord, you got no reason ♪ you got no right ♪ ♪ i find myself at the wrong place ♪ [ male announcer ] the ram 1500 express.

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we're back with a story we all need to pay attention to. you might remember the community activist group called a.c.o.r.n.

back in 2008, some people working for a.c.o.r.n. were found to have submitted fake voter registration forms and the right wing went crazy. >> this is a corrupt organization that did not deserve one dime of taxpayer funds. >> this group needs to learn that you here in ohio, you won't let them turn the buckeye state into the a.c.o.r.n. state. >> obviously a.c.o.r.n. states were not talking but they should be talking to the fbi. >> congress voted to defund a.c.o.r.n. and that organization folded. so i want to know where the right wing outrage is now. we reported last week that the republican national committee fired a group it paid to register voters in swing states. because of suspicious voter registration forms. the man behind the group, nathan

sprool's groups have been accused of suspicious voter activity in the past. today the investigation is growing. now ten -- ten florida counties have reported possibly fraudulent voter forms submitted by sprool's workers. they include registration with phony addresses and similar looking signatures and this potential voter fraud goes beyond florida. north carolina is is considering an investigation into the consulting firm. and a woman registering only republican voters worked for sprool's group in colorado. check out what she said. >> would you vote for romney or obama. >> wait, i thought you were registering voters a minute ago. >> i am. >> who are you registering?

all voters? >> i'm actually trying to register voters for a particular party because we're out here in support of romney, actually. >> and who is paying you for this? >> oh, the -- let me see. we're working for the county clerk's office. >> this is exactly what started the phony a.c.o.r.n. scandal. phony voter registrations. the same thing. so where is the right wing outrage today? they were horrified by those a.c.o.r.n. employees in 2008. so, guys, what do you have to say? did the right wing think we wouldn't notice their convenient double standard? nice try. but we got you. have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] it doesn't have a decongestant. no way. [ male announcer ] sorry. alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms plus has a fast-acting decongestant to relieve your stuffy nose. thanks. [ male announcer ] you're welcome. that's the cold truth! [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus. ♪ oh what a relief it is! [ male announcer ] try new alka-seltzer plus severe allergy

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[ male announcer ] try new alka-seltzer plus severe allergy greetings from the people here sure are friendly but some have had a hard time understanding my accent. so to make sure people get every word of the geico savings message i've been practicing how to talk like a true chicagoan. switching to geico could save you hundreds of dollars on car insurance... da bears. haha... you people sure do talk funny. geico®. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. welcome back. today in the "new york times" article, paul krugman says, voters are being asked to deliver a verdict on the legacy of the new deal and great society on social security, medicare, and, yes, obama care,

which represents an extension of that legacy. and a new poll shows most americans, 52%, think the president best understand the economic problems they are having. only 39% say romney gets it. beyond all of the polls and spin, this election is not about obama. it's about your mama and the stakes couldn't be higher. joining me now is robyn wright, former labor secretary and economic's professor and teresa, president and ceo of latino and an msnbc contributor. thank you both for being here tonight. >> thank you, reverend. >> senator reich, let me start with you. you've been writing an article about how skewed is. is the word getting out to

voters? >> undoubtedly, the voters are getting a sense that romney is not on their side. it's not just the policies and tax plan that gives the rich a huge benefit, at the same time cutting most of the programs that are for the poor and middle class and medicare, medicaid, and so forth. but it's also side remarks. for example, the videotape of romney saying he doesn't care about or he's not worried about 47% of americans who are pampered and who are not taking responsibility for themselves. it's romney himself. i think in the debates romney has two big problems that he's got to try to overcome. one is mathematics. he's got to show what loophole he's going to close. the second is authenticity. he's got to show that authentically he's someone that

cares about average working people. he hasn't done both. he's losing ground because of both problems. >> when you look at the new gallup poll, be for example, it shows that the majority of americans think that the president is a better candidate for the middle class. 53% for president obama, thinking he's better for the middle class. romney, 43. and then you go to the president, who will the president do more to favor? middle class, wealthy, 66% say middle class. 17% say wealthy. who will mitt romney do more to favor? 35% say middle class, 57% say wealthy. how does romney overcome this overwhelming view that he is going to serve the wealthy and he doesn't serve or care about the middle class? >> i think romney has to be able

to be accessible, number one, during the debate, as robert mentioned. but he also has to have a conversation with the american people and be forthcoming, just like president obama had a conversation on race in 2008. mitt romney, it would serve him well to have that conversation with the american people and how he can best serve them. let me go back to this 47%. the reason that the 47% hits home to so many people is that these working americans are working two to three jobs. they are working them because they are aspiring for a better america. so when mitt romney says he didn't want to represent the 47%, he was going after the american democracy and say we may not be able to do it today but we're investing in our future for our children and ourselves. >> secretary reich, when you look at "the washington post" poll and voters were questioned about who they trust on issues, on medicare, president obama leads by 4%. the question of medicare, when i

talk about it's about your mama, not obama, the question of the great society programs that really help people get by who are not looking for a handout but needed the government to help them, isn't this the core of what is really bothering a lot of americans about what romney's representing? >> absolutely. it's not only medicare and social security, it's also medicaid. it's the structure programs that were first put into effect and certainly social security and minimum wage, the right to bargain and collectively bargain on a 40-hour work week. and then you have the great society, medicare, medicaid, so forth and these have been the fabric of lives now. people are deeply dependent on the programs and they are also very popular. people who don't like government, they say, don't take away my medicare so romney has

positioned himself, unfortunately, exactly in the wrong place on the wrong side of history. >> now, let me ask you this, maria. when you look at the fact that krugman that exactly says president obama's policies continue to graze society, romney comes in the legacy of what? >> i think basically the old robert bahrens of our time, which was basically trying to counter punch against. right now we're living in a depression since the greatest depression. again, this election is very much personal and, as you said, it's about your mama. where do you want your mother to be five, ten years from now making sure that they have the safety net that she invested in. she worked hard every day and now there's an opportunity to

make sure that she has good years. >> secretary reich, go ahead. i'm sorry. >> we are struggling to get out of the worst recession since the great depression and that great recession and great depression were brought on by finaciers. and we have obama saying that we're going to get rid after the great crash of 1929 and also during the very, very important years where we tried to build a great society and also after the crash of 2008. but he is somebody who represents wall street represents financial capital who doesn't have any record of caring for average working people. that's the essential story. that's the narrative that everybody is beginning to understand right now. >> and as i have read somewhere, secretary reich, it's beyond an

outrage. >> it is. >> thank you for your time tonight. >> thank you for having us. ahead, the gop has a todd akin problem and it won't go away. mr. legitimate rape is at it again. and the supreme court is back with some big decisions on civil rights that are coming up. a supreme choice is 36 days away. stay with us. [ mother bear ] you're not using too much are you, hon? [ female announcer ] charmin ultra soft is so soft you'll have to remind your family they can use less. it's made with extra cushions that are soft and more absorbent. plus you can use four times less. charmin ultra soft.

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the republicans couldn't run away from him fast enough. today, the gop just loves the guy. that's how desperate they are. that story next.

republicans have a todd akin problem. he's the missouri senator candidate who six weeks ago created a controversy with comments about so-called legitimate rape. he's speaking out against women again in a town hall meeting. last week, last thursday to be exact, he was asked if it it's okay for women to be paid less than a man. >> if somebody wants to hire somebody and they agree on a salary, that's fine, however it wants to work. >> that's fine. fine to pay women less than men for doing the same work?

for weeks republicans tried to push akin out of the race. now they are stuck with it. but here's the gop problem. mr. akin says out loud what they believe. making akin a campaign issue. >> some things you have to draw a line. it's just too extreme, like ann marie buerkle. she co-sponsored a bill that would redefine rape for only forceable rape, women that were drugged or minors of statutory rape would not be classified rape victims. >> what happens in missouri isn't staying in missouri. todd akin is everywhere and he's every republican's problem. joining me now is reporter sat salon.com and laura bassi, a

journalist who covers women's issues for "the huffington post." thank you both for your time tonight. erin, how bad is the todd akin problem for republicans? >> this was the race that wasn't even supposed to be competitive and now they are saying, well, he can probably still win due to hatred of president obama in that state. >> when you say probably, and he wasn't even supposed to be competitive, he was supposed to win? >> he was supposed to win, yeah. this is a state that has become more conservative. president obama really isn't fighting there. the biggest problem is that he made it about more than abortion, he made it about rape victims. so now we've created this opportunity for claire mccaskill who hasn't been particularly popular in this state to tie him in with these really unsensitive remarks that imply that women are lying and also have totally fake science behind them that is

very popular in the anti-choice movement. >> when you combine that, laura, with the fact that at first when these legitimate rape comments came out, republicans started running from them, now they are stuck with them, let me give you an example. the chair of the gop, rins priebus, tried to distance himself from akin. here he is answering a reporter's question. >> if he stays in, is y'all's position eventually going to change in. >> no. no. no. he can be tied and we're not going to send him a penny. >> but now he's changed his tune. when he was asked if he thought akin was a better opg than mccaskill, priebus says is, quote, i have an obligation to make sure we win as many seats in the senate as possible. i mean, he's a real problem. >> there it is, reverend. i think a month ago republicans wouldn't touch akin with a

ten-foot pole. i think the reason wasn't because they were so genuinely offended by akin's remarks but because they had no chance to win the senate race. they encouraged him to get out of the race hoping to replace them with a republican that could possibly win. senator coburn is sending him faund raiser this week. i think it's clear that the original outrage of his remarks was disingenuous. >> well, i think that it's not only disingenuous. i think when you look at it, the other problem is, he's saying fundamentally what many of them are advocating. look at the fact that paul ryan and the republican party are trying to distance themselves but they are really on the same page. akin, the romney/ryan campaign and the republican platform are

all anti-abortion. though romney has clarified that he would allow abortions in case of rape and incest. they all stand by it and want to defund planned parenthood. they are all opposed to contraception coverage. >> absolutely. i think todd akin is the republican party. it's a crude or more sloppy way of saying what they stand for. he and paul ryan worked together on that forceable rape bill. the problem right now is not only that that's also the republican platform. the man who wrote all of the platforms is also fundraising for todd akin. this is not out of a mainstream view. these people are a big part of the republican coalition so it's a big moment to find out what it is that they believe about women. >> when you look at the fact that several republicans are now supporting akin, including some who tried to get him out of the race, you got priebus, the gop

chair, former senator roy blunt and others that never left the side when you look at senator demint who now he'll be an honorary host at a fund-raiser, santorum, newt gingrich, mike huckabee. laura, it's like you said, they are right there with him. it's like business as usual. >> business as usual, that's correct. he continues to roll out the controversial comments. just last week he said that his opponent, claire mccaskill was being not laidly-like. it was a comment straight out of the '60s and to hear that he doesn't support equal pay for the same work for women, beyond i didn't agree with the lilly leadbetter pay fair act, he went further than that and said,

maybe it shouldn't be illegal for women at all to be paid less for men for the same work. and he cited freedom and where is the outrage now? the outrage is gone. >> that's what i'm concerned about here. where is the moderate republican? where are the republicans that stands up and denounces this now? >> the only person that i've seen is chris christie, who is a more modulate state moderate state. >> i mean, frankly, the inmates are running the asylum at this point. >> this is amazing. and it's the legacy of all of these anti-abortion campaigns and crusades that they've had and how far they've pushed this party to the right. well, erin, thank you. laura, thank you both for joining us tonight. >> thank you. the supreme court is back and it reminds us just how important this election really is. that's next. ♪

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. today marks a new term for the start of the supreme court, a term that could potentially roll back the clock on civil rights. first up, the justices will design whether the affirmative action program at the university of texas is constitutional. they will also likely hear arguments on same-sex marriage and the voting rights act of 1965. yes, the voting rights act. the law that people marched and died for. the law that is now under attack by voter i.d. laws. the supreme court may decide whether key revisions should stand nearly five decades later. how do justices rule in these

cases will affect millions of americans. who can go to college, who can get married, who can vote. that's why this election is so important. whoever is elected president next month will likely appoint at least just one new justice to the court and it's no mystery what a romney supreme court would look like. here's what he said back in december during the primary debates. >> yes, roberts, thomas, alito, and scalia. >> those are four justices that are the most conservative on the bench. they all ruled against abortion rights, against equal pay, and for unlimited political donation for corporations. yes, this is not about who likes the president or not. sure he's likeable. this is not about all of the side bar issues. this is about what we fundamentally stand